Joel David Adams

Joel D. Adams passed away on December 30, 2020, at High Desert Haven in Ridgecrest, California.  He was 80 years old and died from complications due to COVID-19.

Joel was born May 23, 1940, in Bath Springs, Tennessee, to Jessie Willard and Leda Mable Adams of Bath Springs, Tennessee, both of whom preceded him in death.

He lived his early years in Bath Springs, but in 1948, at the age of eight, following the death of his father and his mother's marriage to long-time family friend, Ezra Allen Ray, he moved with his family to China Lake, California, where both his parents were employed at The Naval Ordnance Test Station.  He attended China Lake Elementary Schools, middle school at Murray Middle School, and high school at Sherman E. Burroughs High School, graduating in June 1958.  While in high school he was active in sports, with an emphasis on basketball.

Following graduation from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1958.  He served three years, stationed at Nike Hercules and Ajax Missile Battery in Stanton, CA.  Upon his discharge from the Army in 1961, he attended Bakersfield College while working at the Naval Weapons Center supply department and at Associated Aerospace Science as a technician. From 1965 to 1970, Joel worked at the Naval Weapons Center, Bud Eyre Chevrolet, Eliopulos Motors, and Desert Motors. Joel joined the Naval Weapons Center Fire Department in 1970, then moving to an Electronic Technician career working primarily with weapons telemetry. He retired from Naval Weapons Center in January 1993, and continued to work for several more years as a contractor. Throughout his employment, Joel continued his education at Cerro Coso Community College, obtaining his real estate license as well as pursuing his interest in Geology. Joel enjoyed working with the community in his real estate career working with Best Realty, Coldwell Banker Best Realty, and Vaughn Realty from 1976 until 2017.

He spent most of his life in Ridgecrest, enjoying bicycling, golfing, bowling, fishing, hiking and rock collecting.

He met and married Alice Renwick and in 1965 and they had a daughter, Joelene.  He married Betty Martin in 1971, and they were married until her death in 1996.

Joel is survived by his sister, Patty J. Graham of Ridgecrest, CA; brothers Larry Michael (Oleta) Adams of California City, CA; and Billy G. (Susan) Ray of Bakersfield, CA; daughter, Joelene Wright of Ridgecrest, CA; and granddaughter, Kelli Wright of Ridgecrest, CA. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews; Kimberly (Mike) Magby of Ridgecrest, CA; Laura Knight of Carlsbad, CA; Glen Graham of Ridgecrest, CA; Shaun Adams of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA; Scott Adams of California City, CA; Mark Adams of Fresno, CA; Kristen Ray of Grover Beach CA; and Jordan Ray of Bakersfield, CA. He is also survived by three great-nieces (Kerri Knight, Ryann Burke, and Annabelle Adams); five great-nephews (Garrett (Ruby) Small, Thomas (Rachel) Small, Andrew Knight, Justin Burke, and Zavier Adams); and by the   children of Betty (Martin) Adams; Donna Martin, Sandi Koenig, Judy Catlin, and Bill Martin.